Lake watch/politics.

Candidates across county start hitting the campaign trail

With the unofficial kickoff of the election season just a weekend away, candidates throughout Lake County are beginning to make it official.

On Monday, candidates are scheduled to begin filing their nominating petitions for the March 19 primary.

Democrat Hank Perritt of Glencoe, who wants to represent the 10th Congressional District, was among several candidates who announced their candidacies this week for next year's races.

Perritt, 56, the dean of Chicago-Kent College of Law, has never run for office. He could find his first challenge is raising money for his showdown against incumbent freshman Republican Mark Kirk of Highland Park.

Like Kirk, Perritt is expected to be unopposed in the March primary.

But putting on a credible race in the fall will depend largely on Perritt's ability to get financial backing for his campaign against Kirk, who shouldn't have any trouble raising the money he'll need.

Two years ago, more than $15 million was spent on the 10th District race as more than a dozen candidates sought to replace 20-year U.S. Rep. John Porter of Wilmette, who retired.

Far less will be spent this time, but Perritt will still need to generate financial interest in his campaign, especially from the big-bucks Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington.

So far, the "D Triple C," as it's called by Washington's Beltway crowd, hasn't shown much interest in Perritt, focusing instead on issuing press releases criticizing Kirk for just about anything he does in Congress.

Hard act to follow: In Highland Park, Democrat Anne Flanigan Bassi announced her candidacy for the District 23 seat on the Lake County Board held by Democrat Robert Buhai, who is not seeking re-election.

Bassi, a tax expert and certified public accountant, is a longtime member of the local League of Women Voters and is the state organization's budget chairwoman.

Hard to find: Lake Bluff attorney Bob Rolek announced his candidacy for the District 13 County Board seat even though it's still hard to say where District 13 is. A federal judge is still debating that issue with attorneys for the County Board and a group of Republican activists who challenged the board's original map of new district boundaries. The board is scheduled to adopt a new map on Friday after having its original map tossed out by the court.

Remap warrior: It's well known that Libertyville businessman Jack Martin likes to tweak the powers-that-be on the County Board. But it's another Jack--Jack Potter of Waukegan--who joined a group of Republican activists in challenging the County Board map.

Private grumbling: Several Lake County Board members are saying privately they regret that they didn't offer Health Department Director Dale Galassie the job of county administrator when they had the chance. The search for the new administrator has narrowed to three finalists, with the selection expected this month.

Galassie had his hat in the ring but later withdrew, saying he wanted to lead the Health Department as it copes with the new challenges health workers are facing in light of the recent anthrax scares.

Galassie, who has headed the Health Department for 10 years, is one of the most respected department directors around the County Building in Waukegan.